This invention relates to a mechanism for removing insulation from rectangular wire and, more particularly, to a mechanism for removing insulation plus a thin metal chip or sliver from one or both sides of an insulated rectangular wire.
In the manufacture of electrical devices, such as electromagnetic coils and the like, insulated rectangular wire is often utilized to wind such coils. As is well known, it is necessary to make electrical connections to such wire when the coils are used in electrical apparatus, such as for example, transformers and the like. However, as is also well known, such wire if often provided with "enamel" insulation which is bonded to the wire. For example, bonded insulation such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,291,639. As is well understood, such insulation cannot be readily cut and stripped off the wire. The current method of removing such insulation is by scraping, brushing, chemical, thermal, or some combination of such methods. All such methods are very time consuming, and often result in a poor quality wire surface for making electrical connections. Also, some methods are inherently dangerous due to the chemical used, or the high heat used in thermally removing the wire insulation. It is clear that there is presently a need for a mechanism for quickly and efficiently stripping bonded insulation from wire, which does not rely on chemicals or heat and which provides a clean surface for making electrical connections.
It has recently been discovered that a mechanism can be provided which quickly strips insulation from rectangular wire by using a knife which removes a thin chip or sliver of metal from the wire while removing the bonded insulation.
It is, therefore, one object of this invention to provide a mechanism utilizing a knife to strip bonded insulation from rectangular wire.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a mechanism for stripping bonded insulation from rectangular wire in which a thin metal chip or sliver is removed from the wire together with the bonded insulation.
It is still a further object of this invention to provide a mechanism which includes at least one knife which moves essentially parallel to the surface of an insulated rectangular wire cutting the bonded insulation and a thin metal chip or sliver from the surface of the wire.